Brassiere or like garment



Aug. 16, 1960 s. H. PHILLIPS BRASSIERE on LIKE GARMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1956 2,949,115 BRASSIERE R LIKE GARMENT Stanley H. Phillips, Stratford, 'Conn., assignor to The Warner Brothers Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 20, 1956, s... No."623,328

2 Claims. 01. 128-482) istics of confining and supporting the bust of the wearer,

nevertheless, such garments leave much to be desired particularly with regard to the manner in which they fit and conform to the body of the wearer as well as the degree of comfort provided thereby. Brassieres which engirdle the body of the wearer are commonly provided with elastic portions to ensure a snug, body-hugging fit. It has long been desired to improve the comfort with which such garments may be worn while at the same time providing one which is not readily displaced on the body of the wearer and which permits enhanced freedom of movement by the wearer. These problems are aggravated in the case of strapless brassieres which have a greater tendency to become displaced, than those provided with straps, in accordance as the wearer moves more or less rigorously even though such garments mayfit tolerably well with the body inrepose. i g

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved brassiere or like garment which provides enhanced comfort and freedom and which minimizes the possibility of movement of-the garment from its intended position on the body of the wearer.

A brassiere or like garment embodying the present invention may have a front section comprising a pair of breast cups. The cups may be fashioned as desired and may include supporting wires. In accordance with the present invention, the back portion of the brassiere is a one piece deposited rubber latex member opposite ends of which are joined to the opposite rearwardly presented ends of the front section. The front section may include a yoke portion formed of two separate sections each joined with one of the breast cups and one end of the rubber latex back piece. The free ends of the yoke portion are provided with suitable fastening means which may be in the form of a zipper or hook and eye so that the garment may be fastened in front.

Further objects as well as advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawing in which Figure l is a perspective viewing showing a brassiere illustrative of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the inside thereof;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a similar sectional view showing a modification thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, brassiere 10, as shown, may comprise a yoke section which is formed of a right and left portion 11 and 12, respectively separably interconnected generally along the front center line of the garment as by a slide type fastener 13 or other suitable means. Each yoke portion 11, 12 has stitched thereto a breast cup 14 suitably reinforced by stitching or States Patent 0 about.

r Z,949,l cg I Patented Auglle, 1960 wire elements as is well known. In the present instance, peripheral seams between each of the cups 14 and the respective yoke portions 11, 12 form channels in which .U-shaped wire elements 15 extend.

The edge portions 11a, 12a of the respective yoke portions are generally rearwardly presented with respect to the body of the wearer, as is evident from Figure 1, and such edge portions are each joined to the opposite ends of back member 16 formed by terminal portions 16a and 16b. Except for such modifications as may be made in the terminal portions thereof, back member 16 is of uniform composition from end to end, being formed of deposited rubber latex, the body engaging surface of which has been flocked as indicated generally at 17 to form a light, thin surface of suitable fibers without interfreing with the desired properties of the deposited rubber latex back member.

An outstanding advantage of the present garment construction residesin the body hugging quality of the depositedrubber latex back member 16. Intermediate terminal portions 16a, 16b, back member 16 is equally stretchable in all directions so that elemental portions thereof not only closely adhere to corresponding portions of the skin of the wearer with which they are in contact but also conform and move therewith as the wearer moves The result is that even rapid. and vigorous motions or movement by the wearerdo not cause the garment to slip from its intended position. The presentgarment being free of undesired movement or slippage rela. tive to the body of the wearer, the width of the garment need not be accentuated as heretofore but may be reduced to the minimum necessaryin any given design.

. Due to the high degree ofstretchability of the deposited. rubber latex back member 16 suchmaterial may not be readily stitched to fabric, and in particular, such seams as would be formed between edge portions 11a, 12a, would in the needle holes in the back member when the latter is stretched. Preferably the well known process for forming deposited rubber latex materials "is modified so as'to provide back members 16 with relatively short terminal portions 16a and 16b which are reinforced to prevent excessive stretching or tearing of the needle holes. In practice, the mold or form is suspended in a bath of latex for a time sufiicient to permit formation on the form of the desired deposit. Usually at least two dips are required to provide the desired thickness of material and in practice three or more may be utilized. In any event, after the form has been removed from the latex bath after the first dip, a strip of fabric 18 is applied to and adheres over the portion thereof which ultimately forms the terminal portions 16a, 16b of the back member being thus formed. The form is then returned to the latex bath and deposition continues, covering fabric 18, with the result that the fabric is imbedded in the deposited latex as is clearly shown in Figure 3. Although one back member may be formed on a form if desired, it is more convenient to form at least two members simultaneously. In such case, two lengths of fabric are applied during the. process in the two regions where the material is to be severed to form the two separate back members. It will be appreciated that the relative thickness of the parts shown in Figure 3 has been exaggerated in order to bring out the construction. However, terminal portions 16a, 16b are somewhat thicker than the remaining body of member 16 due to the presence of fabric 18.

Nylon tricot fabric is especially suitable for use in forming the terminal portions 16a, 16!) with the desired properties and is preferred. Such material is substantially stretchable in at least one direction and is incorporated in the garment so that its direction of stretch coincides with the horizontal direction of the garment. The importance of this will be more readily appreciated when it is understood that such fabric as woven nylon marquisette is unsuitable since the deposited rubber latex tends to pull away and separate from it when the back member is stretched.

Back member 16 may be provided with a plurality of perforations 21 to provide for evaporation of body surface moisture.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view similar to Figure 3 and shows a back member 19 provided with terminal portions constructed in a different manner from that shown in Figure 3. While only one of the terminal portions is shown, it will be evident from the foregoing description that both ends of the back member are provided with terminal portions having similar construction. In the present instance, terminal portion 19a is formed by ailixing suitable fabric 20 such as a nylon tlticot to at least one surface of the deposited latex rubber back member 19. The fabric is affixed .to the deposited rubber latex back member when it is still tacky.

The deposited rubber latex back members 16 may also be advantageously formed so as to conform to the contours of the wearer by utilizing a suitably shaped mold. This is particularly advantageous in providing a back member which is conformed to follow the curvature of the body of the wearer particularly in the vertical direction.

It is apparent that a highly novel and advantageous brassiere is provided in accordance with the present invention. The present garment fits the wearer to an enhanced degree in that it readily conforms to the person of the wearer. The enhanced degree to which the garment conforms to movement of the body of the wearer or changes in the dimensions thereof not only result in an improved fit but also greatly improve the comfort with which garments of this class, particularly strapless brassieres, may be worn.

The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, .and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible Within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. A strapless brassiere, comprising a front section including a pair of fabric breast cups, a back section permanently uniting the outer, mutually remote, end portions of said breast cups and comprising a one-piece integral deposited rubber latex member, means for separably uniting the juxtaposed inner end portions of said breast cups While said front and back portions engirdle the body of a wearer, the end portions of said back section being rein forced with fabric permanently adhered thereto and being stitched to the corresponding one of the rearwardly presented end portions of said front section with the threads forming said stitches extending through said end portions of the back section, the reinforcing fabric associated therewith and the fabric of the corresponding end portion of said front section.

2. A strapless brassiere, comprising a front section including a pair of fabric yoke members, a pair of fabric breast cups, one stitched to each of said yoke members, a back section permanently uniting said yoke members and being connected to the rearwardly presented end portions thereof, means for separably uniting said yoke members While said front and back sections engirdle the body of a wearer, said back section consisting of a one-piece unitary dipped rubber latex member having its end portions reinforced with fabric permanently aflixed thereto and being stitched to the rearwardly presented end portions of the yoke members with the threads forming said stitching extending through the respective end portions of said dipped rubber latex member, the reinforcing fabric affixed thereto and the fabric of said yoke members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,524,620 Cadous Oct. 3, 1950 2,579,546 Cadous Dec. 25, 1951 2,659,085 Ericson Nov. 17, 1953 2,760,199 Champagne Aug. 28, 1956 2,772,418 Spanel Dec. 4, 1956 2,797,415 Spanel et al. July 2, 1957 2,799,021 La Rue July 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 420,515 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1934 

